On Monday, San Diego resident Patrick Rohan grabbed the first round lead in this year’s championship at par-72 Lake Merced GC after posting a 3-under 69. The 2015 SCGA Super Senior Championship winner was solid, carding five birdies to go against just two bogeys.
Just a stroke behind Rohan after a 70 is Agoura Hills’ Craig Steinberg. Steinberg is no stranger to the limelight, having captured four SCGA Amateur titles during the 1990s.
Two of the three players (John Pate and Craig Davis) who are T-3 at 71 also hail from the Southland. Pate won the California Senior Amateur in 2014 at Poppy Hills. Also coming in at 71 was 2012 winner Casey Boyns. Boyns, the all-time leader in NCGA victories (23 including Senior wins), had a rollercoaster round, carding seven birdies but also a pair of bogeys and two double-bogeys. Having started on the 10th tee, the longtime Pebble Beach Golf Links caddie closed his day with a back-nine 33.
Also in the immediate hunt is the always dangerous Jeff Burda. The winner of numerous SCGA and NCGA senior titles, Burda, is alone in sixth place following a 72. The part-time Modesto/La Quinta resident is the only player to ever win the California Senior Amateur three years in a row (2008-2010), and would break a tie with Jim McMurtrey for most California Senior Amateur wins (three) with a victory.
In the annual Senior Cup, which pits three players from the SCGA against three players from the NCGA and takes into consideration the best two scores out of three, the NCGA leads 145-148. The NCGA is represented by Boyns, record six-time NCGA Player of the Year Randy Haag (74) and 2016 NCGA Senior Player of the Year Dale Bouguennec (79). Team SCGA consists of Burda, Craig Calkins (76) and John McClure (77).
Tuesday’s second round will tee off at 8 a.m.